Contemporary furniture - if you've decided you want a modern kitchen, don't just update the cabinets and countertops. There are a multitude of contemporary chairs, tables and other pieces of furniture - you have literally hundreds of options. Instead of buying traditional or plain kitchen chairs, go for contemporary stools to go with your island. Little touches like this can go a long way.

Some people might scoff at the idea of a chair being a work of art but contemporary kitchen chairs are often exactly that. The sign of the modern kitchen chair is that it does not have to serve any real purpose for people to appreciate it on an artistic level. Are your hairs artistic enough to fulfill that requirement? Could you sit one of your chairs in the living room, not put anything on it and still have people admire it for its artistic merits? If so, then you have modern kitchen chairs!

Neutral colors - not only do modern kitchens thrive on neutral tones, but you also won't find a lot of different colors. If you want to add splashes of color to contrast the neutral shades, it's fine as long as you don't go overboard. It's best to stick with just a few bright colors to balance out the space, not five or six different colors. Too many different shades can be overwhelming.

Appliances in your new kitchen need not be the most recent release from a major appliance company. While having the fancy new refrigerator or the hottest new 5 burner cook top may be nice, does it fit into your overall decorating scheme and budget? Believe it or not, a retro refrigerator, if working properly, could be the right fit for your new kitchen. Even your kitchen hood exhaust fan from a different time period can work, as long as it functions fine and does not pose a danger to the rest of your house.

While technology can pose an image of cold and uninviting, a modern kitchen embraces state-of-the-art innovation with classic design ideas - clean lines, clear countertops, bold colors, contrasting design elements, and simple shapes. A modern kitchen can be both a technologically advanced and warm and inviting space.

Typically, in a kitchen, there is little decoration. The most decoration will come from the color chosen for the cabinetry, furniture and appliances. Some choose to paint everything a single color. Others choose to paint the walls and cabinets a single color while choosing appliances and cookware that is painted in a sharply contrasting color. If your kitchen space is small, you can create the illusion of space by choosing a single color for your walls and appliances. If your kitchen is larger, you can create textures and a decorative feel by choosing contrasting colors.